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It’s no secret that driving while distracted can be deadly. Last week, Durham Constabulary revealed startling statistics from a new trial using advanced surveillance technology aimed at catching drivers who put themselves and others at risk. In just one week in July, nearly 1,000 drivers in County Durham were caught in the act—using mobile phones or neglecting to wear seatbelts.

Deployed near Newton Aycliffe, the cutting-edge camera system is not your average traffic cam. It utilizes artificial intelligence to process high-definition images from steep and shallow angles, offering officers a clear view into each vehicle’s console area. This allows them to see, quite literally, what drivers are up to.

The results? In one week alone:

  • 622 drivers were caught using a mobile phone
  • 329 drivers were caught without a seatbelt
  • Additional offenses included lack of full vehicle control and dangerous carriage of passengers

During the week, one motorist was caught four times holding their phone and another driver three times! They’ll now be banned and will attend court at a future date.

The use of mobile phones while driving is particularly concerning. Road Policing Inspector Paul Ryans expressed his alarm, stating, “The results are truly shocking, the majority of the images show that almost all offenders are holding their phones low down, meaning they are not concentrating on the road ahead of them, creating a significant risk not only to themselves but their passengers and other innocent motorists too.”

All offenders caught during this operation are being prosecuted, as Durham Police aim to alter behaviors and prevent potential tragedies. Ryans’s message is clear: “Switch off your phone and put it away so you are not distracted.”

Durham Constabulary is one of the many forces teaming up with Acusensus, the tech firm behind this innovative surveillance. Geoff Collins of Acusensus highlighted the technology’s proven track record in Australia and its potential to enhance road safety in the UK: “We have to break the cycle of dangerous behaviours that some drivers get into, so this project sends a clear message—you can be detected and there are consequences.”

In an era where road safety remains a top concern for residents, the use of such technology sends a powerful message about the importance of responsible driving. Durham Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen emphasized the broader implications of these findings: “This camera has provided 951 sharp lessons that driving without a seatbelt or using a mobile phone is seriously not a good idea. We have to stop people taking risks like this, which are potentially lethal.”

Put the phones down and buckle up!

Silas T.
Silas T.
1758174592
I highly recommend Shift Driving School Gateshead for beginners or anyone with some prior experience. Their website is excellent, and the app is incredibly user friendly, it makes booking lessons, tracking progress, making payments, and setting your availability so simple.One of the things that impressed me most was how quickly Shift matched me with an instructor. Within a week of purchasing my package, I was driving. Other companies I contacted took over two weeks just to respond and told me I’d be waiting up to five weeks for an instructor. Choosing Shift was definitely the best decision I made.I had Simon as my instructor, and he was fantastic. He was super flexible with my hectic schedule, gave me honest and constructive feedback, and used the app to track my progress so I could clearly see what I needed to work on and what I was already doing well. This made the lessons streamlined and efficient.Simon also gave me the confidence to believe I was ready before I even felt it myself and he was right. Thanks to his teaching, I passed my driving test with zero faults (not even a single minor!).Overall, Shift offers great cars (Mercedes 😉), an easy to use system, and most importantly, excellent instructors. Huge thanks to Simon for making the learning experience such a positive one!
Megan W.
Megan W.
1757525089
100% recommend Shift to anyone looking to learn. Simon is an excellent instructor, so calm and confident, took his time to understand me and how I learn best so that I could become a confident driver. Passed today with only 1 minor fault!
Megan W.
Megan W.
1757534895
Passed with Simon today! He’s an outstanding instructor, so much patience and understanding, especially for neurodivergent learners. My confidence developed massively whilst learning with Simon. Also big shout out to the whole team, especially Lewis, for being so reassuring when I first reached out about lessons. I’d recommend these guys to anyone.
Garry D.
Garry D.
1755685201
Highly recommend Shift Driving School. They were an absolute pleasure to deal with from start to finish. Special shout out to my instructor Hassan, who taught me from scratch in just under 6 months. I had no previous driving experience at all and he talked through the steps and skills needed clearly, always supportively pushing me to be my best. Delighted to have passed at first attempt! Couldn’t have done it without the team at Swift and Hassan. Thank you!
Jess B.
Jess B.
1756664134
Denise W.
Denise W.
1732480140
I 10000000% recommend this driving school my instructor has been appsalutly amazing he had so much patience and really helped me through all my lessons then he recommend me a nervous course which really helped me as I really struggled with my nerve on my test but I finally done it and passed my test and I wouldn't have been able to do it if it wasn't for lewis so thank u sooooo much :)
Charlotte B.
Charlotte B.
1756571367
Could not recommend Shift enough. I did Automatic Driving Lessons with them and I passed first time in Gateshead. The app is really good too. Would highly recommend!
Webdeco.
Webdeco.
1720795557
What a great company to not only learn to drive with, but to actually work with too. We would highly recommend Shift without a doubt.
AJAY C.
AJAY C.
1755987352
I passed my test today and would like to thank my instructor, Mr. Hassan. He has been incredibly kind, patient, and clear in his explanations, which made the whole learning experience truly positive. Throughout my journey, I had only one instructor and never felt the need to change, thanks to the excellent guidance I received. I’m also grateful to the Shift team for making everything smooth and convenient through the mobile application.
Garry D.
Garry D.
1755687540
Highly recommend Shift Driving School. They were an absolute pleasure to deal with from start to finish. Special shout out to my instructor Hassan, who taught me from scratch in just under 6 months. I had no previous driving experience at all and he talked through the steps and skills needed clearly, always supportively pushing me. Delighted to have passed at first attempt! Couldn’t have done it without the team at Shift and Hassan. Thank you!
Thanh T.
Thanh T.
1755327686
I just passed my driving test. With many thanks to Simon instructor at Shift driving school. I learned a lot and Simon was very patient and guide me well. I am grateful for the excellent teaching and kind lessons I had. Definitely recommend.
Sarah
Sarah
1754161364
What an AMAZING school this is!! My instructor was brilliant! She was so patient, and I found out much easier ways to do things. Booking was easy, they use an app to manage lessons which is so easy and there is no back and forth with texts and phone calls. If you are looking for driving lessons in Gateshead, use Shift 100%! Thanks so much guys! <3
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